Find out how popular the last name Rowan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Rowan.

Rowan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Rowan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rowan in America

Rowan is the 2581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rowan surname appeared 13,993 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Rowan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rowan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Rowan

The surname Rowan originated in Scotland, derived from the Gaelic word "rodhann" meaning a little rose or a rowan tree. It is believed to have been first used as a surname in the 12th century, referring to someone who lived near a rowan tree or a place where rowan trees grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Rowan can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One of the entries mentions "Thomas de Rouan," indicating the presence of the name in Scotland during that time period.

In the 14th century, the Rowan family held lands in the Scottish counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. The name Rowan is also associated with the village of Rowan in Lanarkshire, Scotland, suggesting that some individuals may have taken the name from their place of residence.

One notable figure with the surname Rowan was Archibald Hamilton Rowan (1751-1834), an Irish politician and revolutionary who campaigned for Catholic emancipation and Irish independence. He was convicted of sedition in 1794 but later pardoned and spent several years in exile in the United States.

Another prominent individual was Andrew Summers Rowan (1857-1943), a British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and later became the Governor of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from 1924 to 1927.

In the literary world, there was Stephen Rowan (1924-1994), an Irish poet and playwright who gained recognition for his works exploring themes of identity and Irish culture.

Andrew Rowan (1918-2001) was a Scottish actor known for his roles in films such as "The Mouse That Roared" and "The Dam Busters."

Elizabeth Rowan Hamilton (1758-1816) was an Irish writer and intellectual who played a significant role in the Irish Patriotic movement and was a close friend of the philosopher William Godwin.

While the surname Rowan has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration and settlement. The name continues to be associated with its historical connections to the rowan tree and its Scottish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rowan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Rowan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Rowan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Rowan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Rowan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Rowan, please contact us.

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